MY BUCKET LIST: ASHLEY HUHE

Despite the million and a half things WNW Member and Minneapolis-based Designer #7098 Ashley Huhe has already accomplished, her bucket list runs deep. So be it, the life of an ambitious creative. We asked her to share the top things on her list and in true Type-A fashion, Ashley illustrated a whole bunch of them for us.

It got us thinking about our own bucket list, most of which erred more towards Octoberfest than Everest. But hey, if enough WNW Members want to go spelunking, we're down to organize it. You'll have Ashley to thank.

Go Spelunking+Explore a Cave

Hike to Mt. Everest Base Camp

Fly a Plane

Sleep in an Igloo and Watch the Northern Lights

Learn to Do Sewn Book Bindings

Celebrate Oktoberfest in Munich

PERSONAL

Tell us about your background: Who is Ashley Huhe and how did you get here?

I was prophetically professed “Best Artist” in my High School yearbook from a whopping 150 people. Pretty embarrassing these days but my love of making things was always a part of my identity. No vote needed. After a 3-year stint at a public university where I studied abroad in England for a year (aka the best year of my life) I transferred to the Minneapolis College of Art & Design where I spent three years and a semester abroad at the Bauhaus in Weimar, unexpectedly falling in love with the German language in the process. I interned with Printerette Press and had a brief moment of letterpress love. I will always love print, always. I spent a semester interning with the French Alliance of Minneapolis / St Paul and The Thorburn Group after graduation. After graduation I decided to nip one of my bucket list items in the butt and headed to Germany for a year to be an Au Pair and work on my German skills. Upon my return I started to work at The Thorburn Group again. Getting to this point has been a whirlwind of adventure that influences my work in perhaps ways I might never realize.

We love your bucket list! You mentioned accomplishing the bucket list item of living in Germany. Any other bucket list items you've crossed off?

I have a ungodly long bucket list and it grows more than things get checked off. My proudest bucket list “check-offs” include:

1. Living and working abroad to learn another language. After graduating I moved to Germany to be an Au Pair for a year. I met some pretty awesome kids (and adults), experienced the culture pretty in depth, and I am able to carry a pretty decent conversation in German. It’s not fluent but it’s conversational :)

2. I have Norwegian, Czech, English and German roots and I wanted to be able to visit all of these countries. I accomplished this in 2013.

3. I’ve gone out to a nice restaurant for dinner alone.

4. I’ve written a short story.

5. I’ve picked grapes for a vineyard (and no I will never do it again)

6. Win a hula-hooping contest (Ok, I didn’t win but I got 3rd!)

What do you do when you’re not working?

I’m passionate about travelling and so I like to do that as much as possible. I also enjoy hiking and yoga but there are days, however rare, where I stay in, drink coffee, and watch Netflix. I also like to socialize with humans after working on the computer for hours on end.

PROFESSIONAL

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I actually wanted to be a Zookeeper primarily so I could bring baby animals that were abandoned home with me in the evenings.

Proudest career moment?

Being offered work right after graduation.

Biggest career challenge-failure-mistake?

I won’t get into the gory details but I learned not to internalise mean-spirited clients. And sometimes regardless of the client's decisions and wants ALWAYS get a physical mock-up from their printer.

BONUS ROUND!

Last three things you Googled:

1. Where the 2018 Winter Olympics will be held (it’s South Korea)

2. Kittens meowing and talking

3. Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade tips

Most significant creative influence, inspiration, or creative hero:

I think this is a melting pot of a couple things. First off travel is my most creative influence but with that comes many things like being outdoors and the textures, colors and shapes of nature. Also, being immersed in another culture and other human lives invigorates the mind and presents some of the most subtle changes in thought patterns that can make all the difference to a creative thought.